SCENE IN A LAUNDRY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 9 March 1926, Page 9

SCENE IN A LAUNDRY.

EUROPEAN WRECKS SHOP. TROUBLE ABOUT HIS COLLARS. iiit* tjiiiiie.se iciunury of “Jimmie and ■Co., in uiinies street, jtUeniieim, lodiied as if a uomu had exploded soniettiiere in its mysterious interior on luesday night last (.says the Express,), ror its windows were shattered, and practically tiie whole contents of the shop—parcels of collars and shirts, old portmanteaux, and a hundred and one other articles—were scattered all over tne street. Lying amid the litter, bleeding profusely from a big cut in the arm, and swearing incomprehensibly but none the less fearfully, was the Chinese manager of the premises, one named Ngang Tong—or words to that effect.

Inside, a big white man remained monarch of all he surveyed, another Chinese who was on the premises having fled the peril helter-skelter as if seven devils were after him.

The noise of glass, the shouts of the white man and the frenzied howling of the injured Chinese and his > fleeing countryman speedily aroused the neighbourhood, and the police were summoned, but the shopwrecker, doubtless deeming discretion the better part of valour, quietly withdrew and was conspicuous by his absence by the time the neighbourhood had simmered down. The injured Chinese was conveyed to the hospital. From what can be gathered, the cause of the trouble was a missing parcel of collars. About seven o’clock the white man arrived in the shop and demanded his collars, but the shopkeeper informed him, in very broken English, th?t he was making a mistake and that the collars must have been left at some other laundry, because he knew nothing of them. The seeker after fresh linen, however, was inexorable. “You give me the collar!” he shouted.

“No savee your bally collar!” replied the Chinese, and the remainder of the conversation was something in the following strain: “You savee collar pretty quick, or I break your neck!” pursued the white man.

“Collar no good! Him gone now,” protested the Chinese. “You findum collar or I blow your nose!” was the final, if remarkable, threat by the now thoroughly aropsed white man. When the unfortunate Ngang Tong again attempted to explain that the collars must have been left elsewhere, the white man vaulted the counter and bombarded the Celestial with whatever ammunition came to hand—parcels of laundry, a couple of suit cases, -a hell, and - a heavy piece of iron being among the missiles. Under this furious bombardment, four of the panes of the shop window were broken, and the white man then came +n grips with the Chinese and hea,ved him through the window, following up the assault by throwing after him the remainder of the contents of the shop. By this time the neighbourhood, had been aroused and the white man left the scene of his triumph. The police arrived, and found that Ngang Tong, the injured Chinese, was suffering from a big cut in the forearm, probably sustained as a result of his flying .passage through the broken window. He was attended to by a doctor, and was sent to the hospital for treatment. His condition was not serious, hut the cut was a nastv one. and the Chinese was also suffering from shock and hvsteria.

The police are making inquiries into the affair and the identitv of the perpetrator of the outrage—though this is onblic property —and action will be taken against him in due eourse.